Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Pops Shaves Head

in support of fire Captain Russ Long, who was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer 6 months ago. He is only 51, and has a wife and children.

Thought I should warn everyone about the hair thing since Pops will be making a rare appearance for my side of the family in a few short weeks. Now they will see all the more of him.

Last night we attended a fundraiser at Fire Station 1 downtown, where Pops once served as a reserve.

It's in the news at:http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2006/August/23/local/stories/07local.htm

An excellent barbeque dinner was being grilled up by a friend and recently retired battalion chief’s catering business, Billy's Firehouse BBQ. Chairs were lined up in a row along the sidewalk, and six students from Shoreline School of Cosmetology (formerly Wayne’s Beauty College) wielded clippers. Hair piled in heaps on the ground. Afros were tamed, but moustaches remained (these are firemen after all), and shiny, bald heads lined up for dinner as far as the eye could see. Emotions were as visible as scalps. It was inspirational to watch these unflappable people, who we all depend on in an emergency, come together to support and show love to one of their own. We are lucky to count these caring and giving people as friends.

As a survivor of cancer himself, who was also supported by this incredible community, Pops could not resist succumbing to the extreme haircut. At the end of the night a photo was taken of what looked like 50+ men, a few children, and one woman (not me…I couldn’t quite do it), who received shavings, surrounding Russ in his wheelchair. It was very visible testimony that people do not need hair to be beautiful through and through.